Oil seal



Feb..16,' 1937. S. C. MCCOMBS 2,070,638

OIL SEAL l Filed Dec. 16, 1935 Patented Feb. 16, 1937 Stuart C. McCombsVDetroit, ch.,

Chicago Rawhide Manuiac Chicago, lll., a corporation et Application December 16, 1935, (ci. Z-D

4Claims.

In self-contained oil seals of the type using a coil spring about the sealing portion of the packing difllculty is frequently experienced, particularly in the larger size of seals, in getting the spring to stay in place when the shaft or other rotatable member is temporarily withdrawn for any reason from within the oil-softened portion of the packing.

It has been proposed, as set forth in the application for patent led by Jens Aggcr on November 20, 1935, under Serial No. 50,687, to overcome this diillculty by the employment of a number of small circumferentially extending wire sections within the hollow interior of the spring, which wire sections are so connected with one oi the other parts of the seal as to limit the extent to which the spring can contract and alsa limit the extent to which the spring when contracted can shift out of its normal centered position. These wire sections will accomplish the desired results if used in suillcient numbers, but they are diiicult to vassemble with the spring and consequently make the seal expensive to produce.

The object of this invention is to provide, in a seal of the character described, improved means for controlling the spring, which means vwill eifectively prevent the spring from getting out of place and may be easily incorporated in the :seal at but slight additional expense.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the new spring control In order that the invention may he readily understood, a preferred form of the e is presented herein, but it will oi course be ap preciated that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other structurally modied forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying wing:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a which is constructed in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is another sectional view oi the e seal, taken on the line 2--2 of l.

.The seal which is shown in the dra cludes a leather packing it) which H: f extending flange portion il and an y tending iiange portion i2. The packing is mounted in a sheet metal it which is made up of two inversely nested cups il and i5 and an interposed inner shell it. The radially extending portion H of the packing is clamped against the bottom of the cup i@ by the inner shell it and the latter is in turn held in position by the rim of the cup is. The axially extending portion l2 of the packing is adapted to seal against a shaft i'i or other rotatable member and is encircled by an endless coil spring I8 5 under tension, which spring is held on the end of the portion l2 of the packing by contact with the bottom of the cup i5.

A wire ring I9 is located within the hollow interior of the spring le. This ring iits loosely 10 in the spring and does not have any eect on the latter as long as the axially extending seal portion i2 of the packing is distended by reason of its engagement with the shaft. When the portion l2 ofthe packing is not in engagement 15 with the shaft, however, the ring i@ acts to limit the extent to which the spring it can constrict the portion i2.

The spring i8 is surrounded by a sleeve 2d winch is spaced from. the spring only far enough to accommodate the latter without binding when the sealing portion l2 oi the packing is distended by engagement with the shaft. This sleeve is formed as an axially extending ange on the inner periphery of the inner shell i5, but it may oi course be formed as a separate member or else as a portion of any oi the other parts oi the seal. When the sealing portion l2 of the packing is not in engagement with the t and the ring i9 in the spring is keeping the latter from following 3@ in the sealing portion i2 too far, the sleeve 2d will prevent the spring from dropping down to a point where the upper. part of the sp can work out under the edge of the hole 2i in the end oi the seal. 3g

t e the invention has been illustrated and descri in connection with a self-contained :i u unit of one particular construction, it will oi co be appreciated that the invention can be embodied in other kinds of sealing ts and 40 that ce featur oi the invention are applicable to a seal oi the Y which is adapted to have its parts assembled at the time of installation for service.

roun me the lign incl for preventing the down into an eccentric position wherein its upper edge can work out through the adjacent end of the casing.

2. In a, self-contained seal, a casing, a packing in th'e casing provided with an axially extending flange for sealing engagement with a rotatable member, an endless coil spring for constricting the ange, a substantially non-contractible ring within the hollow interior of the spring for preventing the latter from contracting beyond a predetermined minimum diameter, and a sleeve surrounding the spring in closely spaced relation to the same for preventing the spring from dropping' down into an eccentric position wherein its upper edge can work out through the adjacent end of the casing.

3. In a self-contained seal, a casing, a packing in the casing provided with an axially extending flange for sealing engagement with a rotatable member, an inner shell in the casing for clamping the packing to the casingLan endless coil spring for constricting the flange of the packing, a wire ring within the hollow interior of the spring for preventing the latter from 'contracting beyond a predetermined minimum diameter, and an axially extending flange on the inner shell surrounding the spring in closely spaced relation to the latter for preventing the spring from dropping down into an eccentric position wherein its upper edge can work out through the end of the casing.

4. In a seal. a-jpacking, an endlessv coil spring for constricting the packing, a substantially noncontractible ring within the hollow interior of the spring for preventing the latter from contracting beyond a predetermined minimum diameter, and means surrounding the spring in closely spaced relation to the latter for limiting the extent to which the spring may move out of its normal centered position.V

STUART C. MCCOMBS. 

